Washing and spin-drying machine

ABSTRACT

AN AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINE INCLUDING A SOURCE OF ELECTRIC ENERGY AND A TWO-POSITION SAFETY SWITCH. THE ENERGIZING WINDING OF THE WATER SUPPLY VALVE AND THE WINDING OF THE DRAIN PUMP MOTOR ARE CONNECTED IN SERIES WITH ONE POSITION OF THE SAFETY SWITCH ACROSS THE ENERGY SOURCE. A HEATING ELEMENT AND THE DRUM MOTOR WINDING ARE CONNECTED IN PARALLEL. THIS PARALLEL COMBINATION IS CONNECTED IN SERIES WITH THE SECOND POSITION OF THE SAFETY SWITCH ACROSS THE ENERGY SOURCE. THE MOTOR WINDING FOR THE PROGRAMMING DEVICE IS CONNECTED BETWEEN THE JUNCTION OF THE VALVE WINDING AND THE DRAIN PUMP WINDING AND THE JUNCTION OF THE SECOND POSITION OF THE SAFETY SWITCH WITH THE PARALLEL COMBINATION OF THE HEATING ELEMENT AND THE DRUM MOTOR WINDING.

Jan. 5, 1971 TOULEMONDE ETAL 3,552,156

wAsHiNG AND SPIN-DRYING MACHINE Filed Sept. 18, 1968 INVENTORS DOMINIQUE TOULEMONDE BY YVESA. D. THIBAUT United States Patent 3,552,156 WASHING AND SPIN-DRYING MACHINE Dominique Toulemonde and Yves Albert Daniel Thibaut,

Somme, France, assignors, by mesne assignments, to

US. Philips Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 18, 1968, Ser. No. 760,452 Int. Cl. D06f 33/02 U.S. Cl. 68-12 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An automatic washing machine including a source of electric energy and a two-position safety switch. The energizing winding of the water supply valve and the winding of the drain pump motor are connected in series with one position of the safety switch across the energy source. A heating element and the drum motor winding are connected in parallel. This parallel combination is connected in series with the second positionof the safety switch across the energy source. The motor winding for the programming device is connected between the junction of the valve winding and the drain pump winding and the junction of the second position of the safety switch with the parallel combination of the heating element and the drum motor winding.

The present invention relates to an automatic washing machine and, more particularly, to an improved program ming device therefor. An electric washing and spin-drying machine generally comprises an electric circuit arrangement which feeds a programming device, a motor for driving the drain pump and at least one motor for driving the washing and spin-drying drum, a heating element and an electromagnetically actuated water supply valve for determining the water levels in the tub.

It is known that amachine for washing and spin-drying comprises one or twomotors each having one or more speeds for the washing and spin-drying operations, a motor-driven pump and at least one heating element. Automatic operation is made possible by the addition of an electromagnetically actuated water supply valve and a safety device which controls the water levels required for washing or rinsing. These various members'are controlled by, and in turn control, a programming device equipped with a separate motor. In the known washing and spindrying machines, the design of the circuits which include the various electrical elements is such that the programming device must have a plurality of make-and-break switches, one in the circuit of each of the said elements.

The invention obviates this disadvantage and has for its object to provide a simplified programming device by the use of a suitable design of the safety devices and of the circuits which include the members which in cooperation perform the washing and spin-drying operations. For this purpose the invention is characterized in that the circuit arrangement comprises two parallel branches, one of which comprises the series combination of a safety switch in the position filling, the winding of the water supply valve and the winding of the drain-pump motor. The other branch comprises the series combination of the safety switch in the position end of filling and the parallel combination of the heating element and the windings of the motor or motors for driving the drum. The winding of the motor of the programming device is connected at one end to the junction of the windings of the water supply valve and of the draining-pump motor and at the other end to the junction of the safety switch in the position end of filling position and of the parallel combination of the heating element and the driving motor.

An advantageous embodiment of a washing machine in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the impedances of the windings of the water-supply valve and the motor of the programming device are large compared with the impedances of the winding of the drainpump motor and of the parallel combination comprising the heating element and the windings of the driving motor or motors.

A further feature of the washing machine in accordance with the invention is that the safety switch in the position filling and the winding of the water-supply valve are short-circuited through a contact of the programming device.

A further feature is that the winding of the motor in tended for the spin-drying operation is connected in series and-break switch.

The invention will now be described more fully with reference of the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which shows the circuit diagram of a programming device in accordance with the invention. During a wash-cycle this programming device performs the following operations: regulation of the water level; rotation of the drum alternately in either direction in a rhythm which is determined by a change-over switch which forms part of the programming device; and rapid rotation for spin-drying.

The cycle comprises the usual operations of a wash-programme, i.e. pre-washing with heating for a predetermined period of time, washing with heating for a predetermined period of time, rinsing and, as the case may be, drying by spinning.

Because in a wash-cycle both the washing quality and the protection of the various machine parts must be taken into account, the following measures are taken.

During the filling operation the programming device is inoperative and the machine is not started until the water has reached the correct level. Filling takes place only when the pump is capable of normal operation, but cannot take place when the pump is disconnected or its windings are switched off.

The heating element cannot be switched on before the tub has been filled to the desired level. The reciprocating movement of the drum can only .be effected when the tub is filled, however, it continues during the draining operation until the water-level safety valve is actuated. Spin stops: in the absence of water at the beginning of, or during, a cycle; when the heater is switched off or disconnected; and when the pump is switched off or disconf nected.

This is ensured by a suitable design of the circuitof the motor of the programming device and by'the action of v the cams of this device on the switches of the various members.

A discussion of the operation will explain how a wash-.

cycle is effected.

The machine is energized from the supply line through a main switch having contacts 1 and 2. In the off-position of the switch the entire machine is insulated from the electric supply. Starting is effected by turning the knob of the programming device to the first position so that the contacts 1 and 2 (or a single contact if there is a main switch at another point) are closed.

During the filling operation, a safety switch G is in the position shown by a solid line, so that a water-supply valve (not shown) is operative. A high-impedance winding E of the valve now is connected in series with a lowimpedance winding of a pump C. As a result of the voltage divider effect the voltage across the pump winding C is very small so that the motor F of the programming Patented Jan. 5, 1971 device, in parallel therewith, is not driven. The voltage across the heater element D, in series with motor winding F, is so low that it can be considered to be negligible.

When the correct water level is reached, the safety switch G passes from the position shown by the solid line to the position shown by the broken line. The heating element D and a washing motor A now are energized, the latter through one of the positions of a change-over switch H. The motor of the programming device F is now energized through the windings of the pump C so that it can run. The machine then performs the wash-cycle, the drum being rotated alternately in either direction. In order to begin the draining operation, a contact 3 of the programming device is closed. The motor of the programming device F is stopped because it is short-circuited through the switch 3 and the switch G. When the water drops to a given level, the switch G changes position, i.e., passes from the position shown by the broken line to the position shown by the solid line, thereby removing the short circuit from winding F. The motor of the programming device now is energized through the switch 3, the heating element D and the windings of the washing motor A. Since the switch 3 is closed, the winding E is short circuited. When the heating element is switched off, the motor of the programming device will stop as soon as the change-over switch H of the washing motor A passes from one position to the other. The pump C alone remains operative and the machine stops.

On termination of the draining operation, i.e., when the tub is empty, the contact 4 is closed to start the spindrying cycle. The spin motor B then is energized through contact 4 and the safety switch G, which is in the position shown by the solid line.

The cycle is terminated by opening the contacts 1 and 2 after the last spin-drying operation.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic electric washing machine comprising, an electric circuit arrangement for energizing the motor of a programming device, a motor for driving the drain pump, at least one motor for driving the drum, a heating element and the winding of an electromagnetically actuated water level supply valve, and a safety switch having first and second positions corresponding to a water filling condition and an end of filling condition, respectively, the circuit arrangement comprising two parallel branches coupled to a source of electric energy, one branch comprising the series combination of the safety switch in the first position, the winding of the Water supply valve and the winding of the pump motor, the other branch comprising the series combination of the safety switch in the second position and the parallel combination of the heating element and the windings of the drum motor, means connecting one end of the motor winding of the pro gramming device to the junction of the windings of the water supply valve and of the pump motor and the other end to the junction of the safety switch in the second position and the parallel combination of the heating element and the drum motor winding.

2. A washing machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the impedances of the windings of the water-supply valve and of the motor of the programming device are large relative to the impedances of the winding of the pump motor and of the parallel combination comprising the heating element and the windings of the drum motor.

3. A washing machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the programming device includes a switching contact connected in shunt with the series combination of the safety switch in the first position and the winding of the water-supply valve.

4. A washing machine as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a make-and-break switch and a winding for driving the drum motor at high speed during the spin-dry cycle, and means connecting said high speed motor winding in series with the safety switch in the first position and the make-and-break switch.

5. An automatic washing machine comprising a water level safety switch adapted to switch between first and second positions as a function of the water level in the machine, a source of electric energy, an electromagnet winding for controlling the water supply valve, a winding for the drain pump motor, means serially connecting the safety switch in the first position, the electromagnet winding and the pump motor winding across said energy source, a heater element and a winding for driving the drum motor connected in parallel, means connecting the safety switch in the second position in series with the parallel combination of the heater element and the drum motor winding across said energy source, a winding for the motor of the machine programming device, means connecting one end of the programming motor winding to the junction of the electromagnet winding and the pump motor winding, and means connecting the other end of the programming motor winding to the junction of the safety switch in the second position with said parallel combination.

6. A washing machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein the impedance of the electromagnet winding and the impedance of the programming motor winding are each substantially greater than the impedance of the pump motor winding.

7. A washing machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein said programming device includes a switch contact connected in shunt with the electromagnet winding via the first position of the safety switch and in series with the pump motor winding across said energy source.

8. A washing machine as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a winding for driving the drum motor at high speed to produce a spin-drying cycle, a switch, and means connecting said high speed winding, said switch, and the safety switch in the first position in series circuit across said energy source.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,279,656 4/1942 Chamberlin et al. 6816 2,693,097 '11/ 1954 Chatelain 68l2 2,914,935 12/1959 Sampsel 68l2 2,986,915 6/1961 Nau 6816X 3,015,944 1/1962 Krause 68l2 WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner U.S.C l.X.R,. 6816, 23.5 

